Well I've owned Harleys for six years now. To me and many others the fun of owning them is making them rumble like we want em too, and making them more powerful and faster than they are from production. Harleys are beautiful no doubt. But the fact is they are slugs from the factory. Harley better be on the ball designing an engine that is powerful and EPA compliant. Because if people aren't going to be able to modify their bikes in any way, exhaust, engine internals, intake, gearing etc why buy a Harley then? Looks only go so far.
Running the stock engine with only a Stage I, I can remember being loaded down with stuff riding 2up on my 04' Ultra on a trip to the Blueridge mtns and that SOB boggin' down like a fuggin' dog. Talk about no power! And me and h of my bikes so I am as guilty as anyone on that front, but the ones tthe wife are lightweights too. What a joke. Then I had the 95",SE Heads, cams etc done not too much longer after we got back. Then we made a trip out west pullin' climbs like the Beartooth Pass in Montana. The difference in power was like night and day.
Technically, my bike with the current EPA regs is illegal. And I'd say so are about 95% of the Harleys out there. I can honestly say that if I knew that my next new Harley could not be modified in any way, especially if Harley doesn't start packing alot more power from a stock engine I'll be looking at some BMWs. Rag me if you want, but if I can't get some kind of performance, a good lookin bike ain't doin squat for me. I mean come on, what IS a Harley anyway without the sound and the ability to make engine mods to it?
So what can the average person like me do to stop or allow modifications to these new EPA rules? All I have seen so far is a form for aftermarket manufacturers to fill out.
